Senate Bill 2738

    Florida Senate - 2000        (NP)                      SR 2738

    By Senator Kurth





    15-1942-00

  1                    Senate Resolution No.     

  2         A resolution recognizing April 2000 as Child

  3         Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month.

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  5         WHEREAS, 75,803 children in Florida were identified as

  6  having been abused or neglected during Fiscal Year 1998-1999,

  7  and

  8         WHEREAS, 82 children died as the result of a verified

  9  finding of abuse or neglect and an additional 39 deaths showed

10  some indication of abuse or neglect, and

11         WHEREAS, child abuse and child neglect cause

12  significant trauma to the abused or neglected child and

13  society, inflicting upon the child serious illness and injury

14  resulting in physical, intellectual, and emotional impairment,

15  or death, and

16         WHEREAS, abused or neglected children are at much

17  greater risk of becoming abusive or neglectful parents, and

18         WHEREAS, prevention services can reduce the costs

19  society must bear in dealing with the consequences of child

20  abuse and child neglect and can help children and families

21  avoid the overburdened and expensive social welfare and

22  criminal systems, and

23         WHEREAS, the year 2000 marks the seventeenth

24  anniversary of services in this state to prevent child abuse

25  and neglect, and

26         WHEREAS, children deserve the opportunity to grow and

27  thrive in healthful environments, free from threats of

28  violence and harm, and

29         WHEREAS, during the month of April, public-sector and

30  private-sector agencies, child-care professionals, child

31  advocates, and residents will work to increase the public's

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2000        (NP)                      SR 2738
    15-1942-00




  1  awareness of the need to prevent child abuse and neglect, NOW,

  2  THEREFORE,

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  4  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

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  6         That the Florida Senate recognizes April 2000 as Child

  7  Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month in Florida.

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